Arrivals and Departures
by Boyue
Summary: They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but Gaara would much rather have Lee with him all the time. -LeeGaa/Oneshot/AU-


**Naruto and its characters © Masashi Kishimoto**

**LeeGaa. One-shot.**

**This story is told in present-past-resent-past. Don't get confused! o.O**

**Dedicated to ****yggdrasilxxx – Happy Birthday, my friend!**

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**ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES**

Gaara fidgets in bed and rolls on to his side. He glances at the digital alarm shining its red light on the night stand. It is 12:43 in the morning. Lee has already boarded his plane and is on his thirteen hours flight but he won't arrive for another eleven hours and seventeen minutes. Gaara pulls the blanket up to his shoulder and sighs for the hundredth time. He hates waiting. He only decided to sleep because he couldn't stand staring at the minute hand of the kitchen clock. He counted how many seconds it will take before Lee arrives. He can't remember it anymore. All he wants is a remote control that will allow him to fast-forward time so he can skip the horrid waiting. What is he supposed to do for twelve anxiety-ridden hours? He reaches for his phone and goes online to check what times Lee's flight is coming in. He stares at the bright scene with frustration. Lee's flight is _still_ eleven hours and fourteen minutes away. He tosses the phone back on the night stand; checking the flight arrival over and over is going to make it worse for him. He rolls on his back and looks up at the ceiling. A faint smile touches his lips. It has been three years since they first met…

…

He was a freshman in college and commuted from home, which was only twenty minutes away. His oldest sister, Temari, didn't like the idea of him paying for the expensive boarding money if he could just live at home. She also didn't like the idea of Gaara drinking and partying. Gaara didn't know where she got the idea of him being a party boy, but he was sure that his older brother, Kankuro, might have something to do with it. Even if he did consume some alcohol, Gaara doubted he would get alcohol poisoning like Kankuro did. It was near the end of the quarter and the weather had taken a turn for the worst. The days could be sunny in the morning and pouring cold rain in the afternoon; Gaara wasn't particularly fond of it. He also wasn't particularly fond of umbrellas, thinking that they were meddlesome. When he came out of his Film Studies class and saw water falling from the sky like it was the end of the world, he cursed Fate. Someone was surely punishing him for his disdain for umbrella. He checked the time; Kankuro should be out of his class as well. He called his brother but of course, Kankuro didn't answer his phone. He thought about calling Temari but knew that she wouldn't come without a sassy 'I told you so' attitude. She was also at home and would be going against traffic if she did come to his rescue; it didn't seem worth it if she was only bringing him an umbrella.

He glared up at the sky in defiance. It was really wasn't his lucky day as a flash of lightning lighted up the grey sky. His Film Studies class was, of course, at the far end of the campus and a very long way from the parking lot. And of course, he couldn't find a good spot and had to park at the edge of the lot. He could brave the coming storm but he was holding his books in his hands and didn't want to ruin his $200 books. If his professor hadn't held them ten minutes over, Gaara could've made it in time to the campus bookstore and purchase an overpriced umbrella with the university logo. His classmates were running through the waterfalls. Most of them were headed off back to the dorm and didn't have to stay in the rain for long. He chuckled amusingly when he saw two girls huddled underneath a cardboard box that they had found somewhere and hurried up the hill. Even his senile professor had an umbrella and walked away whistling a tune to mock Gaara. He leaned against the wall and was thankful for the awning. His only course of action was to wait for the rain to thin. He wasn't in a hurry to get home anyway; he had finished all his works and was riding the quarter out.

He flipped through his textbook with little interest; he had read the whole thing and found the authors pretentious at their expertise. He closed the book and looked around him. Besides him, there was a blonde girl who chose the wrong day to wear a purple skirt and stiletto heels. He recognized her as the girl who always talked in the back. He shifted his eyes and located a chubby guy who chose to pass the time eating a bag of chip. He looked to his left and saw Rock Lee gazing at the rain like it was a beautiful thing. He recognized Lee from his class and recalled him as the studious and eager learner that annoyed half of the class with his endless questions that Professor Senile didn't quite know how to answer. Lee blinked when a drop of rain hit in the eye. He rubbed his eye and saw Gaara looking at him. Gaara didn't know why he was looking at Lee; he always had a habit of staring at people. If there was one thing that Gaara didn't find boring, it was people-watching. People behaved the most interestingly when they didn't think someone was watching. Lee seemed to have recognized Gaara as well. He walked over with a cheerful grin and waved.

"We both stuck in rain," Lee said with a noticeable accent. It was obvious that he wasn't a native speaker but was trying hard to learn the language. He shook hands with Gaara and introduced himself. "I knew I should take umbrella with me, but ah, I left my dorm quick."

Gaara narrowed his eyes and asked, "Why don't you just walk back? The dorms aren't that far."

Lee lifted up the book he was holding. It was borrowed from the library. "I do not want to get the book wet. I have to pay a fine if it wet and it is not good for the next people who read it."

"Hmph," Gaara muttered. He had borrowed books from the library a few times and if everyone was as conscientious as Lee, the books wouldn't be in such crappy condition. "That's nice of you," he said and it made Lee smile. He thought Lee had the smile of a toddler: full of innocence and sweetness. He also noticed what big eyes Lee had and how they were the deepest of black he had ever seen. Lee's fashion sense was not very westernized. He was wearing a green windbreaker with an orange scarf and tight pants. Gaara had to look away when he caught himself checking Lee's firm glutes out. He had been attracted to males for as long as he could remember and he wasn't one to deny his sexuality. Beside, a lot of people suspected that he was a homosexual or they would mistake him as a girl and were horrified when they learned that Gaara had a manhood. He wouldn't say that Lee was attractive in the appearance sense, but there was definitely a cuteness about him that made Gaara want to know him better.

"So why you still here?" Lee asked.

"Rain," Gaara answered, and left it at that. Lee nodded, empathizing with Gaara's dislike of the falling raindrops. They stayed quiet for a moment. Water droplets splattered on the pavement in a rhythmic beat. "You're not born here, are you?" he asked bluntly.

"I am foreign exchange student," Lee said. He dragged his lips down and continued sadly, "I go back the end of this quarter. It make me sad. I like it here very much. It is very interesting country."

Gaara was intrigued but didn't say anything. He had wanted to study abroad but Temari was against it. She was overprotective in all the wrong areas of life and had an unexplainable fear that Gaara would be kidnapped by terrorists and beheaded on national television. To save his sister from a panic attack, Gaara had to push his traveling plan to the back burner. The rain was dwindling and Gaara decided that he needed to take the chance before he missed it. "I'm going to leave," he told Lee as he ventured into the rain, "See you Thursday."

"Be safe," Lee shouted. He stayed behind under the awning and waited.

Running to his car took longer than Gaara had anticipated. By the time he reached his car, he had long given up putting his books over his head. He dried his face with a pack of tissue that Temari made mandatory for him to keep in his car. He didn't quite like the menthol scent but he couldn't complain. He put the car into gear and drove home soaking wet. The way home, of course, was jammed with traffic. The usual twenty minutes drive became an hour long torture. He spent his time thinking about what he was going to do over winter break. Temari probably had some eccentric family function planned. He hadn't made any friends in college yet and living at home didn't help. He also had mostly lecture classes and didn't have much chance to interact with other students. He didn't mind it; he had always been a loner. He enjoyed the solitude and independence but it would be nice to have someone to talk to every once in a while.

When Thursday came and the weather report said there was a seventy-five percent chance of rain, Gaara made sure to carry an umbrella with him to school. He walked into his Film class and found his usual seat at the middle of the room. Professor Senile was writing something about a famous filmmaker on the chalkboard. He wiped his nose by accident and dusted a white mustache on his upper lip. A few of the students snickered and the professor thought he had made a mistake on the board. Gaara readied his book and paper for yet another exciting lecture in film. He heard chairs moving behind him and looked to see a beaming Lee grinning at him.

"Hello, Gaara," Lee said cheerfully. "We both have umbrella today." He pointed at the black and white stripe umbrella by Gaara's foot and lifted up his own clear umbrella. Gaara didn't know what was so exciting about umbrellas but he couldn't help pulling his lips to a minimal smile.

Professor Senile began the lecture and half way through the class, he decided to take a breather and instructed the students to discuss the materials with a partner. Gaara turned around before Lee even tapped his shoulder. They shared a moment of mutual understanding and were one of the few who actually held a discussion. Every now and then, the topic would stray off to something random that Lee would bring up. By the end of the class, Gaara could safely call Lee a friend…

…

Gaara rolls onto his stomach and buries his face in the pillow. If he passes out from asphyxiation, time will surely pass a lot quicker. He looks up and glances at the clock that taunts him with its red 1:23 A.M. He lies flat and tries to hypnotize his brain into shutting down by repeating 'Sleep' over and over in his head. His concentration is disrupted by his other thoughts. Lee is a little closer to him now and there are so many things he wants to do once he arrives. But he knows Lee will have jet lag and probably wants to sleep the day away. He doesn't think it is such a bad thing actually. He misses hearing Lee's soft breathing and the face he makes when he sleeps. He doesn't consider staying in bed all day with Lee a waste of time. They have learned to express how they feel without the boundaries of spoken words. He rolls on his back again, taking a quick glance at the clock. He always feels like he doesn't have enough time to do anything. Now there is too much time and it is moving too slowly. He sighs and closes his eyes in an attempt to sleep. He hasn't seen Lee for a year and two months…

…

It was mid-December when the quarter was over and the inevitable news finally hit home for Gaara. His one friend – his only friend – was leaving in a few days. They were going to be 6,000 miles away from each other. The knot in his chest grew bigger as he realized that he was feeling something stronger than friendship for Lee. It was hard to explain; he didn't particularly find Lee attractive but he was attracted. It was like Lee had a gravitational pull and sucked Gaara completely in. His eastern style of dressing, his peculiar taste in food, the accent in his voice – they drove Gaara mad. But if he had learned anything from watching angst teen movies, it was that long-distance relationships didn't work. People who boasted that their long-distance relationship was excellent were only lying to themselves. Gaara was too smart for the nonsense. The most important thing, however, was that he didn't know if Lee even felt the same way. With Lee's over-enthusiastic and too-friendly personality, it was hard to differentiate which hugs were amorous and which were platonic. He might be cheating himself but he did realize that Lee hugged him a little longer than the standard appropriate time. And when they broke the hug, there was always a moment of intensity in their eyes, each silently asking, 'why did you pull away?' Emotions were confusing component of life, Gaara concluded.

They had a farewell dinner at a restaurant in downtown. After the dinner, they walked around the plaza. The holiday festivity had kicked into high gear and everywhere they went was decorated with lights and trees, and everything was red and green. They sat by the fountain, its surface golden from the lights, and talked softly about what Lee planned to do once he returned home. Gaara looked up and saw that there was a mistletoe in the hand of a naked cherub statue. Fate would have it that they were sitting almost directly under it. Just like the heavy rain on the fateful day was a sign, Gaara realized that he needed to at least let Lee know how he felt. He couldn't live with unresolved feelings.

"Look," Gaara said, pointing at the green branches wrapped with red ribbon, "it's a mistletoe." Over the few weeks he had spent with Lee, he realized that there was a lot that Lee already knew of the culture and that there was also a lot of that he didn't. It was tricky to figure out what needed to be explained to Lee and what didn't. He didn't want to offend Lee by treating him like a gullible tourist but he wanted him to get the best out of the experience. "When two people are under the mistletoe, they're supposed to ---"

"Kiss," Lee interrupted with a grin, "we do it back home also. It is weird tradition but I think it is cute." He looked behind him at the mistletoe. He stood on the edge of the fountain and leaned over. Gaara stared at him with confusion. It wasn't until Lee sat back down with the mistletoe in his hand that Gaara understood what he was doing. Lee retied the ribbon and fixed it so the branches looked presentable. "Ah, it is a real one. I thought it is fake," he said. He smiled at Gaara and lifted the mistletoe over their heads. "So we suppose to kiss now?"

"Yes," Gaara muttered, leaning in to close the distance between them. He could feel his face burning up like when he had the terrible fever two years ago. His head was dizzy and he couldn't really see clearly in front of him. He only remembered seeing Lee's face closing in. Their lips touched, very soft and briefly. If Temari saw his face right after the kiss, she would definitely think that he was drunk. He had a stupid smile and his eyes were half-open. Lee had more dignity in his expression. They looked at each other, and Lee was the first one to chuckle. Gaara licked his lips. He was very glad that he had given his first kiss to Lee; he had a good feeling about them.

Just as quickly as they had kissed, Lee was on his long flight back home. The night before Lee left, they talked thoroughly about the pros and cons of starting a relationship. It all boiled down to it was worth giving a try. And if it didn't work, they would be happy knowing that they had tried. The first month was the hardest. Gaara obsessed over the phone. He walked to every corner of his house to find the spot with the best reception. They kept the phone time to a minimum, but it still racked up a huge bill that roused Temari's wrath. She was angrier about the phone bill than she was with the fact that Gaara didn't tell her that he had a boyfriend. Phone calls were, then, out of the question. Fortunately, they lived in an age with 24-hour internet access. Chatting online was a lot more affordable than phone calls, but it was a lot more impersonal. Gaara had to call Lee once a week to hear his accented voice or he could not sit still. He didn't think he was a possessive person but he wanted to know what Lee was doing all the time. Distance wasn't his biggest enemy. Time was.

He was an honor student with an amazing grade point average but he couldn't comprehend how it was possible that Lee lived in a world that was sixteen hours ahead of him. Why was it that when he was going to sleep, Lee was waking up? What sense did it make that it was Friday morning here but already Saturday night over there? It baffled him. It disturbed him to think that they were separated by more thousands of miles but hundreds of minutes as well. He could travel the distance, but how was he supposed to conquer time? It occurred to him, slowly but surely, that the relationship was taking a heavy toll on him. He couldn't be with someone that he couldn't see regularly. He didn't want to, but he was about to call and break up with Lee.

Lee was a step ahead. It was a phone call that woke Gaara up at two in the morning. Gaara normally didn't answer late phone calls but he was curious to know who dared to interrupt his rest. He looked and didn't recognize the number, so naturally, he didn't answer the call. A few minutes later, he received a voice message. Since he was already up, he figured he would listen to the message and see what kind of telemarketing scheme it was. To his utmost surprise, it wasn't a gruff telemarketer. It was Lee. And he was at the airport. He said he would try Gaara again. Gaara hung up quickly and in a matter of seconds, his phone was ringing again.

"Lee? W-Where are you?" he asked.

"I am at terminal 5… will you pick me up please?"

Gaara sincerely thought he was dreaming. He never thought Lee would give him a surprise visit. He changed into suitable clothes and drove to the airport as quickly and safely as his pounding heart would allow. When he pulled up to the terminal and saw Lee waiting, he bolted out of the car and ran into Lee's arms. It was the first time they had seen each other since they got together in December. It was now March. They didn't have much time to talk on the sidewalk as a patrol pulled up and demanded that Gaara moved his car. Gaara could try to explain that he didn't have a bomb in his vehicle but he was too excited to think. He helped Lee put his luggage in the car and drove home.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming? I-I didn't even know," Gaara said, clutching Lee's hand with his free hand. Lee's hands were always so warm, unlike his own icy ones.

"I want to surprise you. Are you surprise?" Lee grinned. He brought Gaara's hand to his lips and planted a tender kiss. "I miss you."

It was the best surprise Gaara could've gotten at two in the morning. He had to sneak Lee into the house. Lucky for him, Temari was on a camping trip and Kankuro was a heavy sleeper. They headed upstairs with stealth, lugging Lee's bags up the steps quietly. They decided that they could talk more in the morning. Lee had his reserve with sharing a bed with another person, even if it was Gaara. Gaara understood but he didn't want Lee to sleep on the floor. A pleading look from him made Lee surrender. They climbed into bed together and snuggled in each other's warmth. They talked softly with Lee explaining how long he had been planning the trip. He was on spring break and decided that he wanted to spend it with Gaara. He probably should've checked with Gaara beforehand. Gaara wasn't getting out of school until next week, and that was when Lee was supposed to be back in school. The logistics, they would figure out later. Now all they wanted to do was listen to each other's breathing and sleep. It was the best night sleep Gaara had gotten in a while.

The next morning, Gaara introduced Lee to Kankuro. Kankuro didn't bother to ask how or why there was another man in the house. He gave an uninterested glance at Lee and ate his breakfast, trying his hardest to finish his paper that he had three weeks to do. Kankuro was the easy one. Temari was a lot less pleasant when she heard the news that Lee would be staying for a week. There were private talking in the kitchen and some shouting from Temari. Then Lee was allowed to stay under one condition: he had to pay rent for a week. Gaara could've died from embarrassment. He wasn't going to make his boyfriend pay to live with him, especially when it would only be a week. But Temari had her say and only horrible consequences awaited those who disobeyed. Lee didn't seem to mind paying rent; it was a good thing he had brought extra money with him.

Lee's surprise visit meant one thing: he had to leave. The good-bye they had to say was a lot more difficult than the first one. Gaara could feel tears threatening to explode from his eyes. He hadn't cried since his uncle died when he was six years old and now he was crying over his boyfriend leaving. He was fast becoming the character of a melodrama. He drove Lee back to the airport and dropped him off at the sidewalk. A patrol car was trailing behind him, ready to give him the 'move-it' signal.

"Call me when you're home," Gaara said. They shared a last kiss in the car. Lee grabbed his luggage out of the trunk and walked into the terminal, waving at Gaara all the while. He wouldn't lie; watching Lee go made his eyes red. He didn't know when they would get to see each other again…

…

Gaara flutters his eyes open and looks at the clock. He exclaims a victory in his head. He has managed to fall asleep and it is now 3:56. There is still a long way to go but he realizes that he is starting to get tired. If nothing disturbs him, he will be sleep for about five or six hours before he wakes up. He flips his pillow over. The coolness makes it easier for him to sleep. He thinks briefly about what they should do for the whole two weeks that Lee is going to be here. Lee mentions that he wants to go to a theme park. Gaara isn't a fan of rides; he always gets motion sickness and ends up emptying his stomach. He figures he can suck it up for Lee and sticks to the gentler rides. Lee also says that he wants to help Gaara look for an apartment. Temari's controlling personality is causing quite a bit of tension in the house. She doesn't want him to leave, of course, but Gaara has to assert his independence. He knows Temari will be lonely without him (Kankuro has moved out last year) but he needs his own space. It will also make it easier when Lee is around; Temari still insists him on paying for his food and board. He doesn't know why she is so money-hungry. There is a list of things he wants to do with Lee. One thing in particular stands out in mind…

…

Lee came from a culture that was very reserved. Gaara lived in an overtly sexualized world. Certain parts of their beliefs were meant to clash. They had been together for a year and half and Lee was on his third visit. Gaara got to see him once every three or four months. His hormones drove him off the wall whenever Lee was around. He had figured a while ago that Lee was the one for him and he wanted to give himself up. He figured they had been with each other long enough to share something intimate. He knew it would a difficult task, seeing as how Lee wasn't even fond of tongue-kissing. Lee had freaked when Gaara left a red love-bite on his neck. He wasn't mad at Gaara; he just didn't know what it was. Gaara didn't want to go around in circle hinting at what he wanted. Most couples had spontaneous intercourse. Lee and Gaara, not being most people, decided on a date to do it. Temari was out of town to visit her friend. The house was empty and left to Gaara.

They sat on the edge of the bed, holding each other's hand. The atmosphere was solemn, like they were making a suicide pact. Lee was the one who kissed Gaara first. He was nervous, Gaara would tell, but he wanted it too. They removed their clothes normally, like they were only changing into something different. Gaara didn't know why he was suddenly becoming so shy. He kept his legs close, trying to hide his private from Lee. Lee did the same, except he kept his underwear on. Gaara lied on his back and breathed heavily. The room felt cold without his clothes on. He warmed up quickly with Lee's kisses however. Lee had to spread Gaara's legs because Gaara was too shy to show himself. All his self-control and modesty vanished when pleasure took over. He had done it to himself before but Lee's touch was completely different. Lee was caring, making sure not to make Gaara feel uncomfortable. The intensity of his climax made Gaara cry out Lee's name. He reciprocated the act, giving Lee his first orgasm. It was as far as they went the first time, and they were both very satisfied. It would make the next time more exciting.

Lee was gone again in the blink of an eye and Gaara waited anxiously for his return. Lee's original plan to visit again in four months went up the air when a tragedy stuck his family. Gaara wished he could be there for him, but Temari didn't allow him to leave the country. He didn't have the money to purchase the plane ticket and pay for hotel accommodation. Lee lived at the university's dorm back home, making it impossible for Gaara to stay with him. All Gaara could do was type words of comfort and click 'Send' on the instant messaging box. Then the worst happened. Lee disappeared for a week without a word. Gaara tried calling but the phone was disconnected. He sent emails that were unread. He left his computer on and stayed online all day, waiting for Lee. But there wasn't any news from or about Lee. Gaara didn't have anyone to ask for help. Six thousand miles away, who knew what could be happening to Lee? The seven days without Lee sent Gaara spiraling into depression. He stopped eating and sleeping. He didn't do his homework and didn't go to class. Temari was a second away from sending Gaara to a therapist when Lee's phone call came.

"You scared me," Gaara said calmly even though his head was screaming.

"I am sorry. My father is not doing good. He is at hospital for treatment. Doctors say it is not good for him," Lee answered weakly. With a sigh, he said, "I am sorry, Gaara. I want to call but I cannot. There is many things happening and I cannot concentrate. I am sorry."

Gaara hated not being able to do anything except telling Lee over and over that he loved him. He couldn't physically be there for him, so he had to make it up mentally. Lee's father passed away in another week time. Despite that, Gaara could say things were back to normal until they hit a slump in their relationship. They were running out of things to say to each other. Not being together, they were losing many things in common. Long period of silence took over their phone conversations. They responded slowly on their online chat. Gaara could see the end coming; he didn't want it to be over but he was starting to understand why so many long-distance relationships failed. He didn't know what he could do to salvage the relationship. Lee was the one who came up with an idea.

One day, Lee sent Gaara a picture of a landscape he had drawn. It wasn't an exceptional picture but Gaara could tell that Lee had put a lot of time into it. He instructed Gaara to color the picture and sent it back to him. Gaara found the idea amusing. He didn't know a lot of about drawing, but he buckled down and colored the picture with colored pencils. He messed up in a few places but was happy with the finished work. He mailed the picture back to Lee. Lee, too, was happy about the end result. They did it a few more times; both of their artistic skills involved thanks to the project. Lee gave Gaara a more difficult challenge next. He had written a song (Gaara never knew how talented Lee was) and Gaara was supposed to fill in the lyrics. It was a fest that took up a lot of Gaara's free time. He even took an Introduction to Music class so he could read the musical notes. He asked Temari to play the song on the piano for him and recorded it. It was a simple tune, nothing out of the ordinary, but Gaara thought it was the most beautiful song in the world because Lee had written it for him. He worked on the lyrics, realizing that he had no poetic skill to speak of. He wanted it to be special; it was going to be their song. The song-writing took two months. He wasn't pleased with the finished product but mailed it to Lee nonetheless. He knew all his hard work paid off when Lee called and sang his lyrics to him, strumming on his guitar. He wouldn't tell Lee that a drop of tear trailed down his cheek when he heard it.

"What do you think?" Lee asked after the song.

"I think it is the best song I've ever heard," Gaara answered. He received a CD version a week later. He only played the disc when he was feeling down and needed to hear Lee's soft, occasional off-key and accented singing. It never failed to cease his sorrow…

…

Gaara makes his bed under the morning sun. It is 8:22 and he can't sleep anymore. He goes through his closet to find the best outfit he has. He needs to look his best for Lee. Lee's flight is still a good four hours away but Gaara figures he can pass the time quicker by not lying on bed. He makes breakfast for himself and eats alone. It is Saturday and Temari doesn't usually wake up until noon. She is usually a lot more lenient when it is the weekend, saving her nagging for other days. After a full stomach, Gaara decides to clean the house. He doesn't do chores on a regular basis and it angers Temari. He figures if he puts her in a good mood, she'll be nicer when Lee is around. He washes the dishes and mops the kitchen floor. He does the laundry and folds all the clothes. He destroys every dust bunny he finds. He takes out the trash and takes out some old stuff to be donated. He reorganizes his drawers and closets, freeing up room that he desperately needs. He saves vacuuming last, not wanting to wake up his sister. By the time he started up the vacuum, it is almost 11. He abandons his vacuuming duty and goes to change. Temari is scolding him for waking her up.

Gaara takes the car and drives to the airport. He keeps glancing at the car clock to make sure that he will make it there in time. He doesn't want to keep Lee waiting. He drives off the ram and pulls into the airport parking lot. He usually would wait at the terminal but after not seeing Lee for more than a year, he wants to make it different. He parks the car and checks the time. He is about half an hour early. He finds a seat and waits impatiently for Lee's flight to arrive. The flight comes in fifteen minutes later and Gaara bolts up. He walks to the arrival gate and joins the crowd that is also waiting for their loved ones. He fidgets nervously. His heart pounds loudly. His stomach tosses its acidic content around. He doesn't know why he is feeling so nervous; he has picked up Lee from the airport many times before. He has never waited for him to come out though, maybe that is the difference. He hates waiting. He hates it very much. He glances at the people next to him. There is a wife and her two kids. There is a young man next to an older man. A collective impatience brews in the exit. Gaara's throat goes dry when he sees a middle-aged woman walking out of the gate. The impatience boils up. Everyone leans in, looking for the people they are waiting for. A horde pours through the gate. Gaara curses himself for being short and can't see through the crowd. Loud chatters erupt as families and friends reunite. He grips the metal bar and pokes his head around. Lee isn't expecting him to meet him at the gate, so there is a high chance that he will miss Gaara looking for him.

Fortunately, it is hard to miss Lee from a crowd. He stands at 6 foot 1, making him taller than most of the crowd. He has let his hair grow out over the years but it still has the same general idea. Gaara pushes himself away from the bar and runs past a chubby man. He takes Lee completely by surprise when he jumps into his arms. Lee almost falls over, trying to catch Gaara.

"Gaara!" Lee says, wrapping his arms around Gaara's small waist. "I did not think you will wait for me here," he continues. He has improved the language over the years, thanks to Gaara. He still has an accent and Gaara hopes it will never go away; Lee has the most adorable accent.

"I wanted to surprise you," Gaara teases, "are you surprised?"

"I am very surprised."

Gaara cups Lee's face in his hands and grins. He studies Lee to identify any new things about him. Lee is already 22 years old and starts to look his age. Gaara can still pass off as a 15-year-old. He pulls their faces together and locks their lips tight. The hardest part has always been not having Lee's warmth with him. A little boy walks by them and cheers with a chuckle. They pull away but keep their faces close. He feels Lee's hot breath on him and it makes the wait worth its while.

"Let's go," Gaara says, helping Lee with his luggage. They walk hand-in-hand to the car. They talk non-stop on the drive home. Lee fills Gaara in on what he plans to do now that he has graduated from college. Gaara isn't done for another half a year. He listens, making a comment here and there. He holds Lee's hand and put it on his lap. He misses how big Lee's hand is compared to his. They fit perfectly together.

Gaara brings Lee's luggage upstairs. They lie on the bed together and talk softly. The television from downstairs play loudly and they can hear Temari's raucous laughing now and then. Lee likes to run his fingers through Gaara's thick hair. Gaara likes to nuzzle against Lee's neck.

"I have news to tell you," Lee says, pushing himself on his elbow. He gazes down at Gaara with a wide grin. "I am accepted to graduate school here."

"What?" Gaara sits up immediately. He glares down at Lee firmly. "Are you serious?"

"Yes," Lee answered, "I start school in August. I will stay for three years… two if I do good."

Gaara falls on top of Lee to hug him. He lets out an excited laugh. He squeezes Lee's neck and screams into his shoulder. It is the best news he has heard the entire year. Last year's best news was that he received a $2,000 scholarship, but this is far more exciting. Lee sits up, holding Gaara in his arms. He plants a kiss on Gaara's head.

"You are happy," Lee says. "But I have problem. I have nowhere to stay during school."

"Hmph," Gaara utters, "Temari won't like you staying here with me for three years."

"Yes, so I want to ask if you want to share apartment together."

Gaara doesn't have to think. "Yes," he answers. He tackles Lee down to the bed. They exchange deep kisses, making up for the time they have lost. Gaara knows there will be problems down the road. They have never learned to be with each other for more than weeks. There will be arguments and fights and they will be mad at each other. But he knows one thing for suren: it doesn't matter if they are six thousand miles or six centimeters away, they will always be in love.

Gaara is especially thankful that he doesn't have to drive Lee to the airport anymore. He hates the departure terminals. He hates them so much…

**--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---**

**Boyue's Note: I hope you like it! I've been planning this story for a while and finally got down to writing it. Whew. I rushed the ending a little but yeah… =)**

**01.04.09**

**8:15 PM**


End file.
